JEFF the Brotherhood

Early years

Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall are the sons of successful producer/singer/songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall and grew up surrounded by music. They founded JEFF the Brotherhood (originally simply called JEFF) in 2001, while still in high school. Their first album, I Like You, was funded using pre-orders from the audience at a show for their side project, The Sex. Although this work did not see widespread exposure, it received critical acclaim. They started several other bands and side projects (including post-punk quartet Be Your Own Pet), eventually leaving them all and moving from Nashville to Chicago in order to pursue JEFF the Brotherhood full-time. The band returned to Nashville when Jamin dropped out of Columbia College Chicago.

Heavy Days - Hypnotic Nights

Throughout the 2000s, they released several limited-release albums and toured extensively. The band began to receive nationwide attention in 2009 with the release of Heavy Days; although the album is their fifth, it is often mistakenly reported to be their first. Soon afterwards, they collaborated with Best Coast on an EP released on Volcom and released a live album on Jack White's Third Man Records.

In 2011, JEFF the Brotherhood and their family label, Infinity Cat Recordings, signed a deal with Warner Music Group that would give them "substantial creative control," as well as wider distribution. According to their father, Robert Ellis Orrall, starting with We Are The Champions, JEFF the Brotherhood releases would receive global distribution from WMG's Alternative Distribution Alliance under the Warner/Independent Label Group umbrella. Warner Music A&R representative Ryan Whalley told Billboard Magazine that the deal was "a little different than how we usually work with bands" because the band would "maintain a foot in both Warner and Infinity Cat."

In 2012, JEFF the Brotherhood performed live instrumentation for Insane Clown Posse's single for Third Man Records, "Leck mich im Arsch", a rearrangement of a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composition produced by Jack White. They also released a live EP recorded at United Record Pressing called Upstairs At United, Vol. 3 for Record Store Day.

JEFF The Brotherhood teamed up with Dan Auerbach to produce their latest studio album and first album on Warner Bros. Records, Hypnotic Nights. The album was recorded in just one week at Dan's Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, TN and was released on July 17, 2012. “We’ve never worked with a producer before, so this was the first time we’d ever had any outside input,” says Jamin. “It was Dan’s first co-production, too, and it really worked. He just hung out, let us do our thing and helped when we needed it.” Adds Jake, “We write songs without anyone else in mind, so Dan brought in this idea of, ‘Well, you guys do what you do and I’ll present it so everyone else will understand.’”

On July 9, 2012, NPR Music began streaming the entirety of their 7th album, entitled Hypnotic Nights.

Wasted on the Dream

JEFF the Brotherhood was initially due to release their second album for Warner Bros., Wasted on the Dream, on March 10, 2015. However, on February 17, 2015, the band announced that it had been dropped from the label and would instead release the album on March 24, 2015 via Infinity Cat.

For this LP the band included Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs on bass. In addition to Lawrence, Wasted On The Dream features guest contributions from Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast, who sings on “In My Dreams,” plus Diarrhea Planet guitarists Evan Bird and Emmett Miller as well as rock veteran Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, who provides the flute solo on “Black Cherry Pie”.

For the Summer 2015 tour, the two piece band beefed up to a four piece touring unit to provide a larger sound and to relieve some of the tedium associated with touring as a two-person group over so many years. Chet Jameson was included on bass guitar and Kunal Prakash filled in on second guitar.

Print

The band was named one of SPIN magazine's "must-hear acts" at 2011's South by Southwest festival, one of SPIN magazine's "best spring tours" of 2011 and one of the "Best of What's Next" by Paste magazine in 2010.

Radio

BBC Radio's Zane Lowe has sung the band's praises, calling them "super endearing garage rock" in an interview.

Hypnotic Nights reached No. 1 on the CMJ Radio 200 Album Chart on August 14, 2012.

The band appeared on the NPR program tiny desk, where they played a four song set.

Film and television

The band appeared on the PBS program We Have Signal, where they were the subject of a half-hour-long segment.

The band's song "U Got the Look" is featured in the comedy film Cedar Rapids.

The band appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, playing their song "Diamond Way".

The band performed their new single "Sixpack" on the Late Show with David Letterman on July 17, 2012, the release date of their album Hypnotic Nights.

The band had a few songs in the "Capita: Defenders of Awesome" snowboard movie.

The band's song "Sixpack" was featured in the updated version of Vinewood Boulevard Radio in Grand Theft Auto V.

Studio albums

Live albums

EPs